While the Sparta Board of Education is busy finding his successor, current Sparta Superintendent Kent Swinson, 59, has agreed to a buyout of his current contract that will allow him to retire before the age of 60.

"The agreement represents about 63 percent of his one-year salary and a reduction to the agreement we had with Swinson that the incentive would match the teacher's 80-percent Early Retirement Incentive," said Board President Warren Hill.

The board is expected to choose a new superintendent this evening at a special board meeting to be held at 6 p.m. at the Sparta Schools Administration Building.